Disney is the New Netflix

Serious competition has finally arrived for Netflix.

Disney

That is ...

Marvel

Star Wars

Disney Animation

all of that jazz all combined in one big offering.  Disney TV has tons of original content and it is all coming up for streaming.

Here is a story that describes the service:

https://www.cnet.com/news/disney-plus-streaming-service-preorders-release-dates-prices-shows-and-movies-to-expect-d23-discount/

Think this won't be big?

Disney offered a big discount to sign up early, if you sign for 3 years at the start.  Their service crashed upon open because demand was too big.

:-)

Here is a story on the impact to Netflix:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephenmcbride1/2019/07/08/netflixs-worst-nightmare-has-come-true/#6393a921396d

Happy ... streaming.  Let the streaming wars begin!

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0259 The TV Bundle

Best Reading of the Day

One of the more interesting ongoing stories in the Age of the Customer is the ongoing revolution in "Television".

Can we call it TV if we watch a streaming video on our phone?

Anyway ...

This great read tell the history, the current situation, and where we are headed.  Well worth your time.

https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/5/2/18518666/bundle-tv-hbo-disney-netflix-apple-amazon-war

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Now you have more TV than you could possibly watch, for less than $50 a month, and we haven’t even gotten to the free stuff yet. The only people who will feel truly left out here — besides people who work in the Television Industrial Complex — are the ones who want to watch live major league sports or live news from traditional TV networks.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Choose Your Own Adventure Goes Digital

Do you remember the Choose Your Own Adventure books?

Pick any theme you can think of.  Pirates.  Lost Treasure.  Dragons.  Princesses.

Pick up the book, start reading, and within a few pages you were asked to make a decision.  Something like this:
"If you choose to take the red brick path turn to page 23.
Take the blue brick path instead turn to page 37."

There were always paths to put you in a straight line to disaster, and you quickly learned through repetition which ones put you on that path, and only one "best" ending, with multiple endings.  Fun and immensely re-playable.  I used "play" because it was an interactive experience, not just a reading experience.

Fun fun!

So, Netflix is in the same game now.

Yeap.  Choose Your Own Adventure for movies and TV.

Super cool!  Don't you just love digital technology in the 21st Century?

Read more here:

https://www.wired.com/story/netflix-branching-narratives/

Happy ... Choosing,

J.W. Gant

Comcast Teams with NBC to Battle Netflix

The online streaming wars are heating up.

Read more:

http://adage.com/article/media/comcast-plan-online-rival-netflix-nbc-shows/308616/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Comcast Corp. plans to introduce an online video service offering hit shows from its NBC Universal TV networks in the next 12 to 18 months, an effort to compete with rivals Netflix and CBS Corp., according to people familiar with the matter.

The new service will include programs from the NBC broadcast network, and could include shows from Comcast cable channels Bravo, Syfy and USA...

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Digital Video Movie Conversion with Vudu

Do you like movies?

Do you love movies?

Do you have stacks of DVD videos lying around, in boxes, or maybe on display as your "video collection"?

Did you recently buy a new UHD television and have quickly recognized your old video collection is junk?  Love the convenience of Netflix movies "in the cloud" that you don't have to keep piled around?

Trying to figure out what to do with your huge, horrible, collection of old DVDs?

Vudu has a solution for you.

I love when companies create legitimate solutions to legitimate problems customers have, and they've clearly done something great here.

Get the Vudu app for your phone.  Scan the barcode of any movie, DVD or Blu-Ray, pay a very small fee and you get the digital copy, for you to own forever, of that movie.  Bye bye DVD.

Wow!

Here is the official site:

http://www.vudu.com/in_mobile_disc_to_digital.html?CID=Email&SCID=mobiled2d&KWID=md2d_v2_hl_03232017

The fee is quite small but varies depending on the movie you are working from.  If you have a DVD those are originally 480p quality, not "high definition".  You can use the Vudu app to grab the same "SD" quality version for $2 or you can upgrade the quality by paying $5 instead.  This is opposed to buying a new blu-ray or the digital equivalent for, usually, at least $10.

Awesome!

Own the blu-ray and want a digital copy?  $2 please.

Two caveats I've found:

First, if you don't have a hard-wired internet connection to your smart TV services like Vudu are not very good.  The times they are a changin'.

Second, I'm a huge believer in "ultra high definition" or 4K, especially on TV displays larger than 50".  This service does not offer a UHD option.

Have fun folks, and Happy Movie Watching,

J.W. Gant

Netflix is the Master of Streaming

... for now.

I have a Netflix account and enjoy some of the original content.  Especially 'Stranger Things'.

What about you?

http://fortune.com/2017/03/10/netflix-video-streaming-market/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

There's no question that Netflix is currently the king of the over-the-top streaming-video providers, with a service that reaches more than 80 million users in over 200 countries, and hit shows that drive millions of those users to "binge-watch" entire seasons in a matter of days.

All this has put Netflix in an enviable spot...

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

The Subscription Economy

Interesting read on the shift to steady revenue streams vs. one-time transactional revenue streams. Do you have a Netflix account?  Yeap.  Bet you used to rent from Blockbuster one movie at a time didn't you?

http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/subscription-economy-change-price-pay/307966/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Should a customer in New York pay a higher price than someone from Ohio for the same service? And should a doctor in Ohio pay a higher price than a New York taxi driver? Should a Mac user be steered to a pricier hotel when shopping online? Hint: It's already happening.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Generation Z - Advertising for the New Generation

We've been hearing about Millennials, and nothing but Millennials (seemingly) for years now (a rub for me as a part of Gen X), but now the next generation is stepping up.  We are soon going to experience 4 generations in the workforce: Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z.  Marketers aren't waiting to get started however.

Here is the story on the Boston Globe:

http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2015/08/31/brands-turn-attention

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Believe it or not, millennials are aging out of their privileged position as the nation’s most sought-after consumers, the ones advertisers want to influence. Their replacement? The nation’s teenagers, also known as Generation Z.

The Gen Zers, loosely defined as those 20 and younger, are starting to spend their own money and are developing habits that could influence their buying through adulthood. As a result, companies from the video streaming service Netflix Inc. to retailer Target Inc. to athletic shoe maker Converse Inc. are trying to get on the Gen Z radar.

“It’s the new, next hot thing,” said Amanda Fraga, director of strategy, insights, and innovation at C Space, a Boston market research firm.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Hotel Mobile News for Marriott and Four Seasons

A couple of posts in a similar vein came on to my radar today and are worth reading.

First up is more news on Marriott that continues to make waves in mobile this time with Netflix:

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/s/marriott-offer-netflix-access-hotels-121124765--finance.html?src=rss

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Select hotels will allow guests to use Netflix by signing into their existing accounts through the Netflix app on the Internet-connected televisions. Guests can also sign up for a new subscription if they don't already have one.

Next up is Four Season taking mobile to the luxury market globally:

http://www.luxurydaily.com/four-seasons-makes-up-lost-mobile-ground-through-global-app/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is encompassing the entire consumer journey in its long-awaited, portfolio-wide mobile application.

From bookings to in-room requests, the app rapidly changes how Four Seasons guests will use mobile. The luxury hotel sector is not known for mobile mastery, so the new app propels Four Seasons to among the top in the field.

Hotels and mobile.  A good fit.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0218 Netflix Redesign

Best Reading of the Day

I've been sitting on this one for a few days since finding it over the weekend.  It is a great read though. Which digital video streaming service do you currently use?  Hulu?  Amazon?  Netflix?  HBO? YouTube?

Here is a great read on Netflix.

What do you do if you design a system that is used by 10 people?  Chat with them and see how it works, maybe make some minor adjustments, and plan on the next big update to help them out.  What about if you have 10 million people using that system, or many more like say 62 million?

That becomes a pretty big challenge right?  Sure is.  Read more here.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/22/8642359/the-science-behind-the-new-netflix-design

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Back in March, a developer named Renan Cakirerk wrote a small piece of code that made a big impact on Netflix. Cheekily named "god mode," it addressed one of the most annoying aspects of trying to use Netflix in your browser: scrolling through the company's ever-growing list of movies. Once enabled, it would simply give you one, big list. Instead of sitting there, holding your mouse in anticipation, you could simply find the title you wanted and get on with watching.

The web lit up with stories hailing it as a crowning achievement of little-guy ingenuity. TechCrunch called it a fix for a "wonderful problem." CNET dutifully noted that it "saves you from the slow monotonous horizontal scrolling." Mashable, meanwhile asked, "Are you listening, Netflix?"

Inside Netflix, though, god mode was old news. In fact, the company had already tried it out on thousands of unsuspecting users years earlier. And it was a total disaster.

Good stuff.  I like the A/B testing at play there.  Release it to a scientifically controlled sample size with a control group and analyze the results.  Is the impact significant?  If so, in what way?  Does it "help" or "hurt" the user experience?

I'm a user of Netflix after coming back in to the fold recently.  I hadn't used them for years since I previously received DVDs through the postal service.  I like the digital service and am blown away by the 4K presentation of shows like 'House of Cards' on my fancy new LG set.  Good stuff and a fun company to follow.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

TV is Dead, Long Live TV

The drumbeat towards internet TV appears to be accelerating this year.  We've seen news of Verizon offering a new bundle and ESPN suing Verizon for that move.  Now we get news on HULU with a huge signing.  TV as we know it is dying rapidly but its new form is taking a clear shape as well.

First up is a great piece on Bloomberg.com about the ESPN news:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-28/the-math-behind-espn-s-fear-of-verizon-s-skinny-bundles

Here is a snippet from that piece:

ESPN filed suit against Verizon Communications on Monday over the pay TV carrier's attempt to cut down the size of cable bundles. Verizon is offering its FiOS customers a "Custom TV" option with a $55 base package of channels that allows a choice of two small bundles from a menu of seven. ESPN and ESPN2 are lumped with 10 additional networks in a sports channel pack next to alternative packs for viewers who prefer pop culture or children's programming. The Disney-owned network says this breaks the terms of its contracts with Verizon. The carrier says it's giving the people what they want.

Next is the HULU news, signing the Seinfeld show exclusively:

http://adage.com/article/media/hulu-drop-hulu-brand-picks-seinfeld/298305/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Hulu's marquee content acquisition is "Seinfeld." The complete series will debut on Hulu in June, said Hulu's senior VP of content Craig Erwich, who added that "only Hulu will be streaming all nine seasons." Then Jerry Seinfeld took the stage and answered a few questions from the audience, like what would "Seinfeld" be like if it were made today.

Happy Viewing,

J.W. Gant

PS That AdAge article doesn't contain details on the deal.  $180M for the rights to Seinfeld.  Yeap.  Here is an article that covers that:
http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/hulu-seinfeld-licensing-180-million-1201483537/

Twitter Video and HBO's Video Streaming Struggles

Two more stories are interesting news to read over.

First up is Twitter providing mobile video.

http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/social-networks/19722.html

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Twitter hopes the introduction of native mobile video will boost the number of people who use its service, supplementing its new search partnership with Google and other moves aimed at broadening its appeal.

With its recent rollout of native video, which allows users to capture, edit and share videos within the Twitter mobile application, Twitter is taking its cue from Facebook, which is pressuring YouTube as the go-to destination to upload and watch video.

Next is a piece on the struggles of HBO to go to a streaming service model.

http://recode.net/2015/01/29/hbo-tech-executives-leave-ahead-of-internet-launch-as-networks-strategy-changes/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

The original plan discussed by the network’s top executives was to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to develop a sophisticated streaming platform that would make HBO, one of the best-known premium channels in the United States, capable of challenging streaming video services from Netflix and Amazon head-on. Berkes, who was also a cofounder of Xbox, was a key part of that ambitious project — he had been hired by HBO in 2011 to set up a new office in Seattle, initially hiring 80 engineers with plans to grow much bigger.

The idea was that the technology would support not only HBO but potentially other Time Warner offerings, such as Turner Broadcasting and Warner Bros.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Netflix and DVDs

Around the office I've been performing informal polling of folks as to their path to content such as movies and television.  A lot of the twenty-something have only a streaming service such as Netflix.  A few have a Blu-Ray playing device (maybe a PS4) that can play DVDs.  Then the older folks, the Boomers or Gen X'rs typically only have a DVD player.  Interesting.

Meanwhile my entire collection of DVDs is basically worthless.  Season 1 of 'The Sopranos' starts at one penny used on Amazon. Basically deemed to be worthless.

So why is Netflix still in the business of shipping DVDs?  The money of course.

Good read here from Bloomberg:

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-01-21/netflix-and-dvds-still-together

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Cable TV Transformed

Huge news has been hitting the last two days.  After years of denying interest, and in spite of a phenomenally successful video streaming app called 'Go', HBO is now making the move to directly compete with Netflix:

http://recode.net/2014/10/15/hbo-says-its-going-to-start-selling-on-the-web-next-year/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

HBO CEO Richard Plepler, speaking at an investor presentation hosted by HBO parent company Time Warner, said the company will start selling in 2015 a digital version of its service that won’t require a pay-TV subscription.

Plepler said the company will go “beyond the wall” and launch a “stand-alone, over the top” version of HBO in the U.S. next year, and would work with “current partners,” and may work with others as well. But he wouldn’t provide any other detail.

CBS is following suit in a fascinating move:

http://recode.net/2014/10/16/now-cbs-is-selling-web-subscriptions-to-its-shows-too/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Yup, CBS: The broadcaster is also getting into the digital video subscription business, with an offering that will let users watch almost any show it airs, live or on demand, on a variety of devices.

And like the HBO plan, this one doesn’t require users to have a traditional pay-TV subscription: All you need is an Internet connection and $6 a month.

But there are several big differences between CBS’s Web video service and the one HBO talked about yesterday.

For starters, CBS is selling access to shows that are technically available for free to anyone with a broadcast antenna. And unlike HBO’s service, this one isn’t theoretical: CBS is selling “CBS All Access” right now, via its CBS.com site and its mobile apps.

Needless to say Netflix shares tumbled in trading as it failed to hit its public mark for new user adoption.

I cut the cord from cable TV last year and haven't looked back thank you very much.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

MCX, Amazon, Netflix and More

A couple of stories appear to be drawing headlines mostly by the comparisons they are making.

First is an article that tells the story that wants to do what MCX does, but better:

http://www.pymnts.com/in-depth/2014/the-better-than-mcx-mobile-commerce-approach

Here is a snippet from that piece:

If that sounds familiar, it’s supposed to. It’s what MCX is pitching to a coalition of merchants. The DoubleBeam proposition is different in one important way: DoubleBeam doesn’t require that a retailer be part of a coalition to get all of the goodies and is agnostic about what a merchant should or must offer to use its mobile platform. Tekippe and Toewe recently talked with Karen Webster about their plans, their vision and the future of payments.

Next is a take on the personalization of Amazon and Netflix and how a little company wants to do the same thing, but better:

http://betaboston.com/news/2014/08/12/coherent-path-aims-to-provide-a-gateway-effect

Seeing a pattern?

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Amazon and Netflix are known as the pioneers in bringing you personalized recommendations for what to buy or watch next. A Cambridge startup unveiling itself today is hoping to one-up the sites in the quest for a better recommendation.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0081 HBO, Amazon Prime and Netflix

The changing landscape of motion pictures and television in the United States, and globally, is all due to the internet and the ability to take the internet with us everywhere we go via our smart phones.

Wired has a piece on the money HBO is making vs. that of Netflix but it also delves a bit more in to the more esoteric elements of what is playing out in this space.  Well worth reading.

http://www.wired.com/business/2014/02/netflix-makes-less-money-hbo-long/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

With its HBO Go app and on-demand offerings, HBO is by necessity making itself look more and more like Netflix. But Netflix has a head start. Its product is seamless, whereas HBO is fragmented. It sets the pace while HBO follows. Those advantages haven’t made Netflix more profitable yet. But the recent history of new digital technologies and the new business models they spawn shows it’s the inventors who win, because they set the terms.

In that context, the biggest threat to Netflix’s future success isn’t so much HBO as Amazon. For Prime customers, Amazon’s streaming video app is the 21st-century equivalent of changing TV channels. But Amazon has the advantage of letting you stream any video you’ve bought or rented through Amazon Instant Video, which Netflix can’t match, and which studios probably like better. Along with scoring some exclusive deals, Amazon is making its own dive into original self-produced shows.
Happy reading,

J.W. Gant